


Behind the Scenes

by someofthissomeofthat11011



Series: Episode Challenge [20]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23783374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/someofthissomeofthat11011/pseuds/someofthissomeofthat11011
Summary: Season 2 Episode 7. When Aredian accuses Merlin of being a sorcerer, Arthur refuses to believe it. He becomes shocked when he finds it to be true. He becomes even more shocked when he then agrees to help break Merlin out of prison. Merlin/ Morgana.
Series: Episode Challenge [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/97202
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	1. Nothing to Be Done

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is kind of my challenge to myself. I'm writing one fanfiction for each episode of Merlin. Some are one-shots, some are longer stories. I ran out of ideas for fanfictions so this is how I'm dealing with that. I give you Season 2 Episode 7.

**Season 2 Episode 7**

**Story 20: Behind the Scenes**

**Chapter 1: Nothing to Be Done**

For a moment, Merlin had the surreal feeling of having every single eye in the room on him. It made him want to curl up in a ball and magically disappear… well not magically, because then everyone would know Aredian was right about him having magic and no one could know that.

It seemed that his secret may have run its course as Aredian had just announced to the entire court that Merlin was a sorcerer.

"Merlin? You can't be serious," Arthur said incredulously. With Arthur's words, Merlin felt the tension in the room dissipate. If Arthur said he wasn't a sorcerer, it must be true, at least in the eyes of his people. Merlin was so grateful that Arthur was so oblivious sometimes.

"This is outrageous!" Gaius added. "You have no evidence!" He knew that Merlin wasn't responsible for what the three women had witnessed, but he feared that Uther may not share in that belief.

Merlin wasn't aware of the conversation that happened next. He locked eyes with Morgana and saw the sheer panic racing through her. 

Morgana had been so terrified that Aredian would discover her, that she hadn't spared a thought for Merlin. She should have realized the danger he was in. She had chewed him out almost as much as Gaius had for performing magic out in the open like that, but somehow, she thought he would get away with it. Like he always had.

It was Merlin's nonmagical magic trick. The ability to go into life-threatening circumstances and escape without dying.

They were having a silent conversation with their eyes where Merlin was promising Morgana that he would be safe. Even if he was sentenced to death, he would escape. He wouldn't put Morgana through the pain of watching him die.

It was for that reason that Merlin was very much taken off guard when two guards suddenly grabbed him. He was dragged out of the throne room. He never took his eyes off of Morgana. If this night proved to be his last in Camelot, he wanted to leave with her image in his heart.

That's what Merlin was doing when Arthur came to let him out a couple of hours later. He was mentally with Morgana.

As Merlin was walking out, he passed Gaius. "Gaius? What's going on?" Merlin demanded. He struggled against Arthur's hold.

"Say nothing, Merlin. Do nothing. Promise me!" Gaius begged.

Merlin felt himself fortunate that he was ushered away from Gaius before he could make that promise. He didn't want to make a promise that he had no intention of keeping.

Once Merlin was out of the prison. He turned to Arthur. "What's going on?" Merlin asked.

"Gaius confessed to having a magical artifact in his chambers," Arthur explained. He was refusing to make eye contact with Merlin.

"Please, you've got to do something. You know Gaius as well as I do. You know he would never," Merlin insisted.

"This is out of my hands Merlin," Arthur said harshly.

"Arthur, please," Merlin begged.

"I'm sorry. I truly am," Arthur said softly. He turned and walked away from Merlin without another word.

Merlin watched him walk away with a heavy heart. Gaius was in jail because of Merlin's stupid mistake. How many times had Gaius told him he was being careless? How many times had he risked his life to cover for Merlin? And this is how Merlin repaid him. The guilt gnawed at Merlin’s soul as strongly as his fear of losing Gaius.

Merlin shook his head. He felt so guilty and he could only think of one thing that could make him feel better. Merlin was barely aware of the walk to Morgana's chambers. He knocked on her door and she opened it just enough for Merlin to slip through.

Before he had the chance to register anything in her room, Morgana had thrown her arms around Merlin. Merlin welcomed the pressure – she was holding him just too tight, which should have made him feel like he was suffocating, but actually made him feel like he could breathe again. "I was so afraid for you," Morgana whispered. "Gwen saw Arthur leading you from the cells. She told me that I should expect you soon."

"Gaius took my place," Merlin whispered to her hair. "He had a magical amulet, I suppose from when he actually studied magic. Aredian found it and Gaius admitted that it was his."

"I'm so sorry Merlin. I know how you care for him," Morgana said sympathetically.

Merlin let out a choked cough as he tried to swallow the sob that was threatening to consume him. For a moment, he just held Morgana and let her presence comfort him.

"Are you okay?" He asked her after he had regained control on his emotions. He knew this had to be just as hard on her as it was on him.

"I'll be fine. I know this sounds bad, but I'm glad that you aren't in jail anymore," Morgana told him. Even as she said the words, she felt guilty for how true they were. She would rather Gaius be in jail, because it meant that Merlin wasn't.

Merlin didn't say anything to that. He didn't share her relief, so he didn't know how to respond to that. After a couple of hours, Merlin went back to Gaius's chambers. He winced when he walked in. The entire room was in disarray. Merlin knew he wouldn't be able to stay there, not when he knew that Gaius's life work was thrown around the room as if it were nothing more than the doodles of a child. Gaius had dedicated his entire life to studying all the books that were scattered around the room and now, it would all be for naught.

Merlin turned and left. He couldn't bear to be there one more moment. Merlin went to Arthur's chambers to complete his nighttime duties. As he got Arthur ready for bed, Merlin brought it up. "I'm going to be spending the night in the servant's chambers," Merlin said nonchalantly. He had only stayed in the servant chambers once since he became Arthur's manservant, so he wasn't entirely surprised when Arthur looked at him like he had grown an extra head.

"Why?" Arthur asked.

"In case you need anything tonight," Merlin said with a shrug. He didn't want to make a big deal about why he would be staying there. Merlin wouldn't have told him at all, but Arthur had the only key.

"It's because of Gaius, isn't it?" Arthur asked gently. He had seen the mess that had been made while they were searching for anything magical. Arthur wouldn't want to stay there either.

"No," Merlin muttered. Arthur rolled his eyes. Merlin was an awful liar. Arthur studied Merlin for a moment before he handed him the key. "Thank you Sire."

Merlin used the key to open the door in the back of Arthur's chambers. The servant chambers were dusty and small, but at least it didn't hold the memories of what Gaius had sacrificed for Merlin.

Merlin slept fitfully that night. He kept dreaming that Gaius was being burnt to death and he woke up just to remember that that was the fate that would await Gaius.

After Merlin completed his morning duties, he went to visit Morgana. She didn't say anything to him, she just welcomed him in and gave him her support and comfort. He stayed with Morgana all day until a knock on her door sent him ducking for cover underneath her bed.

Merlin couldn't see what happened, but he could hear what they were saying.

"The witch-finder is requesting your immediate presence," a guard said.

"D-d-did he say why?" Morgana asked, trying to hide her fear.

"He just said he needed to speak with you. I am to escort you to his chambers," the guard told her.

Merlin wanted to jump out from under her bed and refuse to let her leave, but he couldn't. He wasn't supposed to be here. No one could know about him and Morgana. The only person that knew was Gwen and that's just because she walked in on them once.

Merlin could hear Morgana's soft footsteps as she went with the guards to Aredian's chambers. Once the door closed behind them, Merlin got out from under her bed.

He paced anxiously, waiting for her to return. It seemed like hours had passed before she returned. Merlin looked over her, making sure that she showed no signs have having been harmed – emotionally or physically.

She was crying lightly and that was the first thing Merlin addressed. "What happened? Are you okay? What did he want?" Merlin asked.

"He wanted to ask me about my nightmares," Morgana whispered. Her breath caught in her throat, alerting Merlin to how close to hysterically crying she was coming. "What if he figures out that I have magic? What if he figures out that my nightmares are visions?"

"He won't figure it out," Merlin assured her. "And even if he did, Uther would never believe him."

"And if Aredian finds proof? Uther has hardened his heart. He hates magic more than he loves me," Morgana pointed out.

"That's not true," Merlin argued. He didn't know whether or not he believed his words, but he had to believe that Uther would never let Morgana die. She was his ward and more than that, she was the only one that could bring out anything resembling a soft side from the king.

"It is," Morgana said sadly.

Merlin placed one of his hands on either side of Morgana's head. He looked into her deep blue eyes and saw the conflicting emotions playing there. "Morgana," he whispered. He closed his eyes and repeated her name, "Morgana.” Something about saying her name always made him feel at peace. There were days that he could scarcely believe he’d gotten this lucky. Morgana brought her hand up to cover one of his. He opened his eyes and was pretty sure he was having the same calming effect on her that she was having on him. “I love you far too much to lose you. I promise I will not let anything happen to you."

Morgana nodded. "I know you won't," she sighed.

"I have to go," Merlin whispered sadly.

"Stay with me," Morgana pleaded.

"I have to go help Arthur, and Gwen will be here any moment," Merlin pointed out.

"Then come back. Please Merlin. I just feel like something awful is going to happen if you don’t come back. Please don't leave me alone," Morgana said desperately.

Merlin studied her for a moment. "I'll come back," he promised. Merlin left shortly after that to go help Arthur prepare for bed.

If Arthur noticed how distracted he was, he didn't say anything about it. Merlin was barely aware of his chores. He was so nervous about Morgana and Gaius that he didn't have room to think about anything else.

When Merlin finished, he went back to Morgana's chambers. He could see that Gwen had already been there because most of the lights had been extinguished and Morgana was sitting on the edge of her bed. Her elbows rested on her knees and her forehead was leaning on her hands.

"I'm back," Merlin whispered.

Morgana looked up, a small relieved smile making its way onto her face. "Thank you," she whispered.

This wasn't the first time Merlin had stayed the night. He knew that when Morgana needed him, this was the best way to help her. They never did anything dishonorable and he was always careful to leave before anyone could find out he had spent the night with her. He didn't want to know what rumors would spread if someone noticed how often he was here. That didn’t step the anxious worry that filled him every time he stayed. It was almost an exhilarating fear.

The next morning, Gwen walked in to wake Morgana. "My lady," she said softly shaking Morgana. "Uther is requesting your presence." Morgana sat up and looked around. She always slept better when Merlin stayed, but she rarely slept this late.

Gwen quickly helped her dress and Morgana made her way to the throne room where she took her seat next to Uther. Morgana looked at Arthur confused, but he shrugged at her. He had no idea why they had been called here.

They got their answers moments later when two guards dragged Gaius into the throne room. Aredian shoved him. "Confess!" Aredian declared.

Morgana's mind went blank. She couldn't listen to this happen. She couldn't watch Gaius die. Morgana looked towards Merlin. He looked like he was choking on air.

Morgana knew the exact moment that Gaius's sentence had been passed, not because the king got to his feet to declare it, but by the look on Merlin's face.

Morgana was faintly aware of Gaius being dragged out, but mostly she was aware of Merlin. He looked so angry he could kill Aredian. Morgana's eyes widened as Merlin started to move. If he attacked Aredian, Uther would have him arrested.

"Arthur, you've got to stop him," Morgana said terrified.

"Wha–" Arthur began to ask.

He was cut off by Merlin who was charging Aredian. "You're a liar!" Merlin shouted. Arthur jumped to his feet, intercepting Merlin when he was inches from attacking Aredian. "You're a liar!" Merlin repeated, fighting against Arthur's hold.

"I'll deal with this," Arthur said, waving the guards off. Arthur roughly pulled Merlin with him. He walked Merlin to the cells. He let go of him and had to duck under his swing. He grabbed Merlin again, restraining him so he wouldn't accidentally hurt himself. "I know you're upset. I know you're angry. It's alright. I'm not throwing you in jail," Arthur assured him.

"Then what are you doing?" Merlin asked bitterly.

Arthur let him go. "I'm breaking the law," he said quietly. He opened the door to Gaius's cell then stepped aside to give them some privacy.

Arthur stared at the wall outside of the cells, wishing there was something, anything he could do to make this better. Merlin walked out of Gaius's cell about half an hour later. His eyes were rimmed red, but Arthur couldn't find it in his heart to make fun of him for it.

They walked out of the cells. The moment they were in the long corridor outside the dungeons, Merlin turned to him. "Gaius is innocent," Merlin told him. "That amulet that you found wasn't his. He took the blame for it because he feared it was mine and he didn't want me to get arrested. Aredian had to have planted it. There has to be something we can do!"

"There's nothing we can do," Arthur told him sadly.

"But you know he is innocent!" Merlin shouted.

"We have no proof!" Arthur yelled back. "Gaius confessed. If we had proof that Aredian planted the amulet, then maybe we could do something, but there is nothing we can do. There is no proof."

"Proof," Merlin spat bitterly.

"I'm sorry," Arthur said sincerely. "I truly am."

Merlin groaned and stormed away. He was angrily pacing in Gaius's chambers, thinking about what Arthur had said.


	2. Proof

**Season 2, Episode 7**

**Story 20: Behind the Scenes**

**Chapter 2: Proof**

Proof. That's what he was still thinking about when Gwen came to visit him to tell him that Aredian was interrogating Morgana again. Gwen didn't know about Morgana's magic, but anyone with eyes could see how nervous Morgana had been since the witch finder arrived.

Merlin internally cursed Aredian with every fiber of his being. "Yeah," Merlin said angrily. "That's what he does. He breaks you down and in the end you confess whether you're guilty or not."

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked him confused.

"Gaius was set up. Aredian planted that Amulet," Merlin explained quickly.

"But why would he do such a thing?" Gwen asked horrified.

"Aredian is paid to catch sorcerers. Maybe he doesn't care whether someone is guilty or not. Maybe he gets confessions by lying, by planting evidence, just as long as he gets a confession, he gets his money," Merlin said, his eyes widening as he spoke. He hadn't realized until he started saying it exactly how true his words were.

"But even if this is true, what can we do without proof?" Gwen asked. Her voice was taking on a hysterical tone. She was terrified for Morgana and for Gaius.

"Get some," Merlin said quietly.

It took them all night to gather, and in Merlin's case, plant the proof that they needed to prove Gaius's innocence. When Merlin finally got back to Gaius's chambers, he felt like he could sleep where he stood. That was, until he noticed Gwen's expression. Gwen looked at him frantically. "Merlin! Where have you been?" Gwen asked.

"It's done. Everything's in place," Merlin assured her.

"But it's too late!" Gwen said hysterically. "Gaius has already left the dungeons!"

"Then…" Merlin paused. They couldn't be too late. Gaius couldn't die. "Then we'll have to delay the execution."

"How?" Gwen asked.

"Arthur," Merlin said. He hadn't listened to Merlin earlier, but maybe if Merlin told him that he now had proof… "I'll speak to Arthur."

"No. Leave Arthur to me," Gwen said strongly.

Merlin didn't give it a second thought. "Okay," he agreed quietly.

Merlin and Gwen fought through the assembled crowd. It was sick to see how many people were willing to forget all the good that Gaius had done. They seemed to forget that he had treated them and their families. Gaius never turned his back on those in need. It didn't seem fair that they were all turning their backs on him now.

When Gwen finally could see Arthur, she began shouting his name. "Arthur! Arthur!" Arthur turned to look at her. "Arthur, you've got to stop this!"

"I can't Gwen. You know I can't," Arthur told her.

"Merlin has proof that Gaius is innocent," Gwen told him.

"My father's already passed sentence," Arthur said quietly. "There's nothing I can do." This was hurting Arthur as much as it was hurting her. Gaius was his friend.

"You can do the right thing, Arthur Pendragon," Gwen said harshly. "You can show some faith in a loyal friend, or you can stand by and watch an innocent man die!"

"Guinevere…" Arthur started to say.

"You did it once before to my father; are you really willing to let it happen again? And you can stop looking at me like that, I know I'm only a servant! I thought you were a prince, so start behaving like one!" Gwen chastised.

For a moment, both Merlin and Arthur stared at Gwen. Merlin’s stare was one of awe. Few people were willing to speak to the prince like that.

Arthur studied Gwen for a long moment. If he went against his father's orders, the king would be furious. Arthur turned his head and saw Aredian prepare to light the pyre. In that moment, he knew he had to choose between doing the right thing and going along with what his father wanted.

Arthur closed his eyes. He couldn't live his whole life trying to make his father proud. He knew what the right thing to do was and for once, he felt like his father's wrath might be worth it. "Wait!" he shouted.

Arthur saw Aredian's face darken, but he listened to Arthur. A few minutes later, Gwen and Merlin were addressing the king.

Merlin glanced at Morgana. She looked tired as if she hadn't slept at all last night. That made two of them. When Merlin declared that he had proof, he saw hope spread across her features. When Arthur interceded and gave the orders to search Aredian's chambers, a look of smug glee spread across Merlin's face. Morgana shot him a confused look and he returned it with a confident smile.

"You're wasting your time," Aredian said confidently. He knew that anything that could prove his guilt was well hidden.

The guards ignored him. "The cupboard over there," Arthur said.

Merlin watched eagerly. He knew exactly what was going to happen. Sure enough, as a guard opened the door to the small cupboard, dozens of amulets tumbled out. Right underneath the amulets were several bottles of the Belladonna.

"These things don't belong to me!" Aredian insisted. "This is a trick!" Aredian coughed to clear his throat. His cough was really becoming unbearable. "That boy plots against me!"

Aredian was overcome with a coughing fit. Morgana glanced at Merlin, wondering if they should try to help him, but Merlin was watching with that same knowing smile he had been wearing the entire time they searched Aredian's chambers.

After several more hacking coughs, Aredian spit out a toad.

Morgana almost laughed. Almost. Merlin was a genius sometimes. A reckless genius, but a genius all the same.

"Sorcerer!" Uther said shocked.

Before Morgana knew what was happening, she was being held in front of Aredian like a shield and a dagger was being held to her neck.

Merlin's smile disappeared. He never took his eyes off of Morgana. He was trying to tell her that she would be okay; that he wouldn't let her get hurt.

"Aredian," Uther said cautiously. "Think carefully about what you're doing. You will never escape from Camelot alive."

"I will if you value the life of your ward," Aredian declared maliciously.

"Forbaernan," Merlin whispered.

The handle of the dagger Aredian was holding, glowed hot, causing him to drop it. Merlin had expected Aredian to let Morgana go out of shock of suddenly being burnt. What he hadn't anticipated was that Aredian would start to fall backwards and that he would latch onto the only thing that was within reach.

Merlin watch with horror as Morgana and Aredian toppled out the window.

"Morgana!" Merlin shouted, running towards the window.

He wasn't thinking, he was just doing. He couldn't lose her. "Inbringe cume mec!" Merlin shouted. Merlin had never concentrated on anything so much in his life. He was rewarded when just a moment later, Morgana was floating back into Aredian's chambers. Merlin hadn't tried to spare Aredian and he winced when he heard the cracking sound of bone and flesh hitting the ground.

The moment Morgana's feet hit the ground, she threw her arms around Merlin. She was shaking. "You saved me," she said softly.

"I could never let you die," Merlin assured her. He kissed her forehead gently. She was safe.

A gasp alerted them to the fact that they had an audience. Uther was looking at both of them as if they were vile and unclean. Arthur looked at them as if he didn't know what to think. The guards had neutral expressions on their face.

"Arrest him," Uther ordered.

"No!" Morgana shouted stepping in front of Merlin protectively.

"Don't you dare," Merlin said, stepping in front of her.

"They won't kill me," Morgana said confidently, stepping in front of Merlin.

"You don't know that," Merlin insisted, once again pushing in front of her. Morgana ducked under his arm in front of him.

Arthur watched, his mouth agape. This was the strangest thing that had ever happened.

"Morgana, step aside," Uther told her.

"I won't let you kill him," Morgana warned.

"Why do you care? He's just a servant," Uther spat. "He will die for his crimes."

She stood up to her full height and looked Uther right in the eye. "He is not just a servant. Not to me. I love him," Morgana said strongly.

"That's ridiculous. You are being enchanted!" Uther shouted.

"No," Morgana said, her voice low and angry. "You are so petrified by magic; you refuse to see that it can be a blessing instead of a curse. My feelings for Merlin are true."

"Guards!" Uther called. "Restrain the Lady Morgana and arrest the boy. He will be executed at dawn."

At first Morgana fought against the knight that restrained her, but after Merlin was dragged out of the room, the fight left her.

"You are a cruel man Uther Pendragon. You will not be forgiven for this," Morgana warned.

Uther shot her a disgusted look. "Once he is killed, his influence over you will be gone. Then you will thank me," he told her. Uther walked out without another word.

The guard that had been holding Morgana, released her and followed Uther as he left. That left Morgana and Arthur alone.

"You knew?" Arthur asked when he found his voice. "You knew Merlin studies magic."

"Yes," Morgana told Arthur seriously. "I've known for a long time."

"How could you not tell me?" Arthur asked furiously.

"What difference would it make?" Morgana asked him bitterly. "His magic doesn't change who he is. He is still loyal to you first and foremost. You have no idea how much it guilts him that he cannot be completely honest with you."

"Then he should have told me," Arthur said stubbornly.

Morgana shook her head. Merlin had said he would protect her, but she hadn't realized this would be the price of her freedom. "Arthur, I need your help. I need you to help me get Merlin out of Camelot," Morgana begged.

"Why should I help him?" Arthur asked. Part of him knew that he wouldn’t let Merlin die, but he was still too furious to acknowledge that part. "He studies magic."

"I cannot lose him," Morgana said desperately. "Either you help me break him out, or you need to execute us side by side."

"You've done nothing wrong," Arthur pointed out.

Arthur could have sworn that Morgana's eyes flashed gold, but he was distracted when suddenly cold water was being poured over his head.

"I have officially done you more harm than Merlin ever has. This decision is yours and yours alone," Morgana told him.

She didn't regret what she had just done. She knew in her heart that a life without Merlin wasn't a life worth living.

Arthur stared at her for several minutes. He had known Merlin for three years, but he had known Morgana his whole life. It would be completely unbearable for him to have to watch her die. "I'll help you," he croaked.

"Thank you," Morgana said with a smile. She started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Arthur asked her shocked.

"I have to go pack," Morgana said with a shrug.

"Pack?" Arthur asked uncertainly.

"You can't expect me to stay here. The only reason that Uther hasn't found out about my magic is because Merlin has worked so hard to help me control it. I owe this to him," Morgana told Arthur seriously. "If Gwen were in this situation, do you mean to tell me that you wouldn't go with her." When Arthur opened his mouth to argue, Morgana continued. "Don't look at me like that. I know how you feel about her."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "My father will never let you leave," Arthur pointed out.

"He will if he knows I have magic," Morgana argued.

"Are you insane? He will have you killed!" Arthur said incredulously.

"Yes," Morgana said with a small smile. "After he has me locked in jail for the night."

Arthur stared at Morgana. He finally understood what she was doing. "You're going to escape with him," he whispered. "You don't want me to help him. You want me to help both of you."

Morgana nodded. "If I don't reveal to Uther that I have magic, he will think Merlin has kidnapped me. He will never stop looking for us. But if I reveal to him that I have magic and we leave his kingdom, he cannot follow us," Morgana whispered.

Arthur closed his eyes. He’d thought stopping Gaius’ education had been difficult, but it was nothing compared to the choice he was facing. This was undoubtably the hardest decision he'd ever had to make. This wasn't just about going against his father's orders. Arthur would have to break two sorcerers out of prison. Not only was it highly dangerous, but Arthur didn't doubt that Uther would be furious with him when he found out that he helped them escape.

Arthur let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He knew it all came down to a choice. A choice between right and wrong, between being his own person and being his father, choosing between his friends and his duty to his kingdom. It wasn't a decision Arthur had ever anticipated he would have to make.

"Just… just give me a few minutes," Arthur muttered before he ran back to his chambers. He had every intention of going back to his chambers, likely to frantically pace while he figured out what he should do, but then he passed the narrow hallway that led to the dungeons that Merlin was imprisoned in.

At first, Arthur walked right past it, but then he stopped. There were so many questions swirling around in his head, but they weren't questions he had the answers to. If he was being honest with himself, they weren't questions Morgana had the answers to either. Only Merlin could help him.

Arthur found himself backtracking and turning towards the cells. None of his knights questioned him as he walked down. They didn’t need to. They’d become as fond of Merlin as Arthur had and understood that Arthur would need some closure.

For a while, Arthur played with the keys on his belt. He could see Merlin from where he stood, but he knew Merlin couldn't see him.

It was time for some answers.


	3. Answers

**Season 2, Episode 7**

**Story 20: Behind the Scenes**

**Chapter 3: Answers**

Arthur stood outside of Merlin's cell, not making a sound for several minutes. He didn't know what to say to break the silence.

"I can hear your breathing. You might as well get this over with," Merlin called from the shadows.

Arthur forced aside his nerves and unlocked Merlin's door. He felt like his skin was trying to crawl off his body as he neared Merlin.

As his eyes adjusted, he saw Merlin was sitting on the bench that was on the far side of the cell. His hands were clasped in a manner akin to praying. It was difficult to look at him and see a lethal sorcerer. He looked exactly the same as he had before. This was the very same man that Arthur had seen scrubbing the floors of his chambers; the same man that demonstrated profound wisdom when Arthur needed it; the same man who had selflessly been there for Arthur since the evening he’d been made Arthur’s manservant.

"Why?" Arthur found himself asking before he had consciously made the decision to talk.

"Why what?" Merlin asked.

"Why do you practice magic? Why would you do that when you know how I feel about it? And did you teach Morgana? Are you the reason she knows magic?" Arthur asked. His anger was bubbling just below the surface, waiting for the right trigger to explode.

"Do you think I want to be this way?" Merlin asked him, his head snapping up to meet his eyes. "Do you think that I would choose to put myself in danger if I didn't have to? I didn't choose to practice magic. Magic chose me and I’ve done the best I could with it. Do you know what it's like to be born a monster? To hear every day that what you are is wrong. I left home because it became too much, too many people. I thought I was coming somewhere safe, but I was in more danger than ever. And I couldn't leave, because you have an uncanny ability to put yourself in near death situations and it's my destiny to protect you." Merlin stopped talking to catch his breath.

Arthur stared at him. "Protect me?" Arthur asked.

"You have no idea how many times you've almost died. I've saved your life so many times I've lost count," Merlin muttered.

"Lost count," Arthur repeated. He tried to think back to when he could've almost died. Several instances popped into his head. He was shocked by how many pieces just fell into place. "Cedric?" He guessed. It was something Arthur had puzzled over, trying to figure out why he had just stopped his attack on Camelot.

"Among others," Merlin told him with a shrug.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Arthur asked. It was the root of his anger. He trusted Merlin and all the time, he had been studying magic behind his back.

"How could I?" Merlin asked him. "Put yourself in my shoes. If I were an arrogant prince who preached the evils of magic and condemned men to death for it, would you tell me?"

"Arrogant?" Arthur asked insulted.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "When I found out about Morgana's magic, there were two people I worked to help her hide it from. You and your father," Merlin told him. "Because you were the two people that I have feared since I came to Camelot."

"But why? What have I done to earn your fear?" Arthur asked.

"What have you done to earn my trust?" Merlin demanded. "What have you ever done to give me reason to believe that you wouldn't have me beheaded or burned at the stake the moment you found out? You have no idea what it is like to have to pretend to be nothing more than your manservant when all the while, I am the reason you are alive."

"Then stop pretending!" Arthur said. His anger had long been diffused, but it was stirring again. "Stop pretending to be my simple-minded manservant and show me who you really are!"

Merlin jumped to his feet. "This is who I really am!" He shouted, spreading his arms out. "I am the man who goes to bed long after the sun sets and wakes long before it rises to make sure that all of your needs are attended to. I am the man that spends countless hours studying a spell book just to find out that I'm still not good enough, that I will never be good enough to change your mind. This is who I am Arthur. I'm the same man you've known all along. My magic doesn't change that."

"How can you say that?" Arthur asked. "How can you say magic doesn't change you?"

"If I need to answer that, then you will never understand it," Merlin told him softly. "I'm tired Arthur. I'm tired of pretending, of hiding who I am. I'm tired of hearing that magic is evil so I must be evil. I'm just tired. I'm not going to justify who I am. I was born like this and I'm tired of being ashamed. If your goal is to get me to confess that I am an evil creature that would love to see Camelot fall, you're just going to have to accept the same disappointment that I feel every day."

With those words Merlin sat back down. Arthur felt like he should say something, anything to diffuse the tension that had sprung up between them, but there was nothing he could say. He wasn't ready to accept that magic was a force for good – he wasn't sure that he ever would be. This put him and Merlin in drastically different places.

Arthur walked out, securing the door behind him. He didn't know what he had hoped to gain from that conversation, but he felt like he had moved backwards. He absent-mindedly roamed the castle. It was still early, but Arthur felt exhausted.

The events of that morning made him feel like he had done an entire days-worth of things. Arthur rubbed the fatigue from his eyes and made his way towards Morgana's chambers. He supposed he needed to figure out what she had planned.

He knocked and wasn't surprised when Gwen answered the door. The fire in Morgana’s chambers was lit and the floor looked wet, as if Gwen were in the process of cleaning it. It seemed strange to Arthur that anyone could be going about their regular duties right now. He was surprised when Gwen announced that Morgana wasn't there. "Where is she?" He asked her uncertainly.

"I imagine she's visiting Merlin," Gwen told him with a shrug. Morgana had announced it to everyone, so Gwen didn’t see any reason to keep covering for them.

Arthur went right back towards the prison. He wondered how many times he would have to go back there that day.

Sure enough, as he descended the stairs to the cells, he could see Morgana standing outside of Merlin's cell. He couldn't hear what they were saying until he got to the bottom of the staircase.

"I won't allow you to do this," Merlin warned.

"It's my decision to make," Morgana told him softly. "How long do you think I'll last in Camelot without you? I'll start to go crazy. It'll be like last time."

"It won't be like last time," Merlin told her quietly. "Last time you didn't know what was happening to you. You were setting curtains on fire and making vases explode. Now you know how to control it."

"And what of my visions? I no more know how to control those than you do. They will return when you are gone," Morgana pointed out.

"You've always had nightmares. The king will suspect nothing," Merlin told her gently. "You'll be okay. Better than okay without me. I just complicate things."

"I refuse to stay here without you," Morgana told him. "Besides, Arthur knows I have magic. I showed him."

"I know; he told me.” Arthur couldn’t see Merlin’s face, but he could hear the anger in his voice. “Damn it, Morgana. Why did you have to tell him?" Merlin asked furiously.

"Because I know what you refuse to admit. My life is meaningless without you in it. You saw my future. Without you, that future will come to pass," Morgana told him. "I don't want that to happen. I don't want to know what needs to happen to me to cause that, but I have no doubt that without you it is far more likely. And above all else, I want to be with you."

"And I you, but I cannot provide for you. You will be leaving here with nothing, do you understand that? You'll have the clothes on your back, but nothing more. We'll be living in the woods. It won't be easy," Merlin warned her.

"I don't need easy. I just need you," Morgana said sincerely. "Do you remember what you said to me, when you first started courting me?"

"I hardly think sneaking around in the dark of the night counts as courting you," Merlin commented dryly.

"Do you remember what you said?" Morgana repeated. Merlin looked at the ground. He remembered. "You said that one day, you would take me away from here. That we would get married and you would build us a house for our children. We would live off the land, both of us free at last."

Merlin was silent for a long moment. "Are you sure you are ready for that? It's a big step to take," Merlin told her. "You would be giving up everything."

"Everything means nothing if I don't have you. I'm ready. I've been ready for a long time now," Morgana told him. "The only reason I haven't pushed it was because I understood your duty to Arthur. But now, there's nothing."

Merlin pulled something off, something that had been hanging around his neck. Arthur couldn't see what it was. "This was my mother's. She gave it to me when we all went to Ealdor. I think she knew, even then, that I cared for you. She gave it to me just in case. Will you take it?" Merlin's gaze was glued to Morgana's. "Will you m-"

Merlin's words were cut off by Morgana flinging her arms around him. "Yes," she whispered before she kissed him. "A million times yes."

"I know this isn't the most romantic setting," Merlin said sheepishly.

"It couldn't have been more perfect," Morgana assured him.

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place as Morgana slipped something around her finger. Arthur didn't need light to know it was a ring. He realized that Merlin just proposed.

"You can come out now Arthur," Merlin called. Arthur's jaw nearly fell. How did Merlin know he was there?

"Arthur?" Morgana asked surprised. Arthur stepped out from his hiding place and walked towards them. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you. We need to finalize our plan for tonight," Arthur told her. He was pointedly avoiding Merlin's gaze.

"There's not much to tell. I am going to tell Uther once I leave here. I just wanted to give Merlin warning before I got dragged in here by the knights," Morgana explained. "The rest is up to you. You know Camelot better than anyone. You know how to get us out of here safely. Once we're outside of the gates, Merlin and I can do the rest. We only need your assistance getting out of the city."

Arthur nodded. "I can do that, but what will you tell my father?" He asked her.

"You leave that to me. I'm going to do it after supper though. He will be in there reading grain reports and destroying lives, so I can't think of a better time to interrupt," Morgana told him. "And you will be with him, which will give you the perfect excuse to escort me to the dungeons and fill us in on what needs to be done. Then we orchestrate our escape."

"You make it sound so simple," Merlin said with a small smile.

"Coming from the man whose escape plan was to not die," Morgana teased.

"I thought it was a good plan," Merlin told her.

Arthur watched them go back and forth. At first, he hadn't been able to wrap his head around the idea of Merlin and Morgana as a couple, but now he saw it. The affection they had towards one another was obvious.

Morgana sighed. "I suppose I should be going. I'll see you soon, she promised him." She stepped outside of his cell and Merlin magically re-locked the door.

Arthur and Morgana ascended the stairs to leave the prison. Arthur had to give Morgana credit. Just a moment ago, she had been crying, but now you could scarcely tell.

"Thank you, Arthur. This means a lot to me, to us," Morgana told him seriously.

Arthur nodded curtly, his nerves on edge because of what he had agreed to do. "I will see you when it is time for you to confess," he told her. He walked away without another word. What was he getting himself into?


	4. The Great Escape

**Season 2, Episode 7**

**Story 20: Behind the Scenes**

**Chapter 4: The Great Escape**

Morgana's heart was pounding as she heard the guard announce her presence to Uther. She had made up her mind and she wasn't going to change it, but she was terrified. "The Lady Morgana seeks an audience with you," the guard said loudly.

"Let her in," Uther said.

The guard returned and opened the door wide for Morgana to pass through. Uther was sitting at the end of the long table, a pile of paperwork was sitting before him. Arthur was sitting to his right with a slightly smaller pile of paperwork in front of him.

Arthur's eyes hardened when he saw Morgana. He knew it was coming, but that didn't mean he was ready for it.

Arthur put down his quill and tensed as he waited for Morgana to speak. He had barely been able to concentrate on his work because he was so anxious for what was coming. If Uther noticed Arthur's tension, he didn't say anything about it.

Uther was watching his ward, surprised that she had sought an audience with them. She normally wouldn't do such a thing.

Morgana was shaking as she approached Uther. "Th-th-there's something I n-n-need to t-t-tell you," Morgana stuttered. She had practiced what she was going to say, but now that the moment had come, she couldn't remember what words she had rehearsed earlier. In fact, she could barely remember any words at all. She had yearned for the chance to be herself, for the chance to be honest and now that it was here, she was blanking.

Uther's eyebrows shot up his forehead. He had never seen Morgana so nervous before. She was normally so composed and tough. It was one of the things she acquired from her father.

Morgana couldn't bring herself to tell him she had magic. Not yet, so she chose to admit something that she had yet to say out loud.

"I'm engaged," Morgana told him, tears in her eyes. It had been easy for her to say, because it was something that had caused her so much happiness since Merlin had given her his mother's ring.

Arthur looked at her uncertainly. He wasn't sure where she was going with this. He had thought she was going to tell Uther about her magic. Had she changed her mind?

"What?" Uther asked. He looked like he wasn’t sure how to respond. Morgana had always been so composed and so levelheaded. He couldn’t fathom how she went from her usual self to recklessly associating with sorcerers and announcing engagements. "To whom?"

"Merlin," Morgana told him seriously. A small smile crossed her face. "I am engaged to Merlin. I love him and he loves me; we are to be married. Surely you would not kill my betrothed."

"His hold over you is stronger than I had ever anticipated," Uther said. He looked at her with pity. He should have realized when she confessed her love to him earlier that it was serious. "I wish I had recognized the signs before it got to this point."

"It's funny," Morgana said softly. "You accuse Merlin of corrupting me, but never considered that the opposite might be true. Blostma." She held out her hand so Uther could see the flower forming in her palm. Merlin usually made roses with the spell, but Morgana hadn't managed to control it yet. Instead, a beautiful yellow sunflower was sprouting. When she had completed her spell, she looked up at Uther. "I did not know of Merlin's magic until he discovered mine. He is a good man. If not for him, I probably would have killed you long ago. Your hatred of magic and the people that practice it stem from your own cowardice, not your bravery."

Uther was staring at Morgana horrified. He didn't know what to say. She was his ward, he had promised to keep her safe. But her crimes were unforgiveable. She had practiced magic.

"You… you are a witch," he said. His voice sounded hollow. He was almost overwhelmed by the betrayal. His own ward.

"I am," Morgana said strongly. "It is not something I am ashamed of. You live in fear of my kind, but what have we ever done to you. What have I ever done to you?"

"It's not what you have done, but what you are destined to do," Uther spat at her. "I will not allow you to corrupt my kingdom."

"I cannot corrupt it any further than you already have," Morgana said softly.

"Guards," he called. He turned away before he gave the order, unable to watch. "Arrest her."

Arthur watched as Morgana was dragged away. The knights weren't overly rough with her, but they weren't gentle.

"I'll go with them," Arthur muttered to him, leaving his father alone to gather his thoughts. Arthur followed Morgana out the door. She was unceremoniously shoved in the cell right next to Merlin's. Once the guards had resumed their post at the top of the stairs, Arthur walked towards Morgana. "Sunset is in an hour. We will do it then." His whisper was barely audible, but a nod from Morgana told him she heard him.

Arthur was tense as the sun started to set. He left his chambers and made his way down to the dungeons. He tried to avoid his knights. The less people that saw him, the better. He didn't want anyone to be able to say he had been here right before Merlin and Morgana had escaped.

When he got down there, he wasn't surprised that Merlin and Morgana were in the same cell. They were both sitting on the ground, Morgana's head resting on Merlin's shoulder. Merlin was rubbing small circles into her shoulder and was whispering something into her ear.

Arthur almost hesitated, not because he was backing out, but because he didn't want to ruin the moment. Reality returned to him though and the reality was, they just didn't have time for this right now.

"Quickly," he whispered. Both of them looked up at him, their eyes filled with determination. "We must leave now." Arthur unlocked their cell door, looking over his shoulder every couple of seconds to make sure no one was watching.

Morgana and Merlin followed Arthur further into the dungeons. He led them down twists and turns deeper under the castle than they have ever been. He didn't stop until they got to a rotting wooden door. Vines crept up it and it looked like it hadn't been opened in centuries.

"This will lead you to our panic room," Arthur whispered. "My father showed it to me once, long ago. We have it in case our enemies overpower us and there is no chance of us surviving or saving Camelot. When you go through, you will see much parchment and ink. That is so we would be able to contact our allies. Under the table with that parchment and ink is a small door. Pull it open and go down the tunnel. When you reach the end, you will be out of Camelot. It leads you right to the woods."

Arthur opened the creaky door, cringing at how loud it was. He looked into the dusty room, remembering when his father showed it to him. Arthur hadn't been entirely honest with Merlin and Morgana. His father hadn't shown him this room as a possible escape if they were being overwhelmed. He had shown it to him to explain how they were stronger than their ancestors. Their ancestors had needed a place to hide, an escape route. "We have learned from them and so we use them as an example," his father had told him. "Their cowardice sets the course for our bravery."

Watching Merlin and Morgana disappear, Arthur couldn't help but disagree with his father. They weren't being cowards. They were braver than his father could comprehend.

Merlin turned back around to face Arthur. He hesitated. "I know that what we are disgusts you and that you believe us to be evil. I also know that you are doing this for Morgana and not for me, but I appreciate your help all the same. Thank you," Merlin said. He extended his hand to Arthur.

Arthur stared at it for a moment. He wanted to shake it, he truly did, but he couldn't make himself. He wasn't ready for that. "You must hurry. I will lock the door behind you, but it will not be long before they are searching for you," Arthur warned.

An indescribable emotion crossed over Merlin's eyes as Arthur shut the door. Arthur knew he would never forget the look on his face. Arthur heard the creaking of the trap door and then there was silence. He knew they were gone.

Arthur was back to his chambers before the knights discovered Merlin and Morgana's absence. He ran out, as if he were just as surprised by the warning bells as everybody else was. He went to the council chambers, where he knew his father and the knights would be gathered.

When he entered, he was instantly assigned a sector of Camelot to search for them. Arthur didn't delay in leaving with a team of three other knights to do their assigned job.

Merlin and Morgana were silent as they climbed through the tunnel. They didn't dare talk in case their voices would carry in some way. They were deep in the tunnel when it started shaking. The warning bells reverberated deeply through the tunnel. Merlin jumped at the sudden noise, banging his head on the ceiling.

"Ouch," he moaned.

"Come on," Morgana whispered. "We must keep going!"

Merlin nodded. "Hold on. Let me create a light," he whispered. With a flash of gold, a little ball of fire hovered before them. They followed its path for what felt like hours.

"If we're not out soon, they will catch us," Morgana warned.

"We'll be fine. They won't find us," Merlin promised her.

Deep down, he wasn't so sure. If Arthur had had a change of heart, they could be walking right into a trap. Merlin didn't want to frighten Morgana, so he kept those thoughts to himself.

After a few more minutes they could see the light at the end of the tunnel. They froze when they heard voices outside of the tunnel. They didn't dare turn back for fear that whoever was outside the door would hear them.

Merlin looked through the bars that blocked the end of the tunnel. He only saw a grassy foliage, but he knew that if someone were to look down the tunnel they would be seen. Merlin could already feel the moonlight reflecting on his pale skin. After a moment, when no one called them out on their hiding place, Merlin and Morgana relaxed enough to listen to what the voices were saying.

"We cannot strike now, not with the warning bells," a gruff voice said.

"Who would've guessed? Arthur's manservant and Uther's ward. Sorcerers," an amused voice replied. "Wish we had known. They could have helped us."

"Nothing we can do about that now. I think we should strike now. It's the perfect time. Uther won't expect us," a third voice said. "We can go to him with an update and kill him."

Morgana dug her fingers into Merlin's hand. She scarcely dared to breathe. Merlin's heart was pounding. They were plotting to kill the king. Merlin despised Uther, but he didn't want him dead.

"But how?" The first man demanded. "He's guarded. We can't get through to him. They're ready for an attack and magic or not, we're going to kill a lot of good men before we even have a chance to get to him."

"We do have our secret weapon though. Send him in first and Uther wouldn't dare attack him," the second man pointed out. "He's the last person Uther would expect to attempt an assassination.”

"He’ll know right away that he’s under a spell, so he won’t dare fight as well as he could. He won't want to hurt him," the third man agreed.

"I agree," a fourth man said. Merlin froze. He recognized that voice. That man stepped in front of the grate and Merlin's hand went over Morgana's mouth to stifle her gasp. It was Arthur.


	5. Possessed

**Season 2, Episode 7**

**Story 20: Behind the Scenes**

**Chapter 5: Possessed**

Arthur began to patrol just beyond Camelot's borders. They had finished looking through their assigned sector and Michael, one of the knights assigned with him, suggested they look further. "We don't know when they escaped. They could be just beyond the borders," he pointed out.

Arthur couldn't refuse without drawing suspicion to himself, so he agreed. He hoped that Merlin and Morgana were either long gone or were still safely in the tunnel.

Once they were outside of the gates, Michael turned to him and placed his hand on Arthur's forehead. Arthur took a step back. "What are you doing?" He demanded.

"Astige du vaki mod ond gedeowie daet mod disse deowes. Hine bind ond da heold ond awend hi ealle. Us sue wilgesibas. Ic renian berbay," he whispered, never breaking eye contact with Arthur.

Arthur had the strangest feeling of being lifted out of his body. He could still see his body and feel his heartbeat. When his hand moved, Arthur felt it, but he had no control over it.

He had the strangest feeling of déjà vu, as if this had happened before. He felt like a foggy memory lay just outside of his reach.

Arthur was pulled from his thoughts. By a strange tugging. He realized that his body was moving. He watched with horror as his sword killed the other two knights that were with him. "There's a good boy," Michael said in his most condescending tone.

Arthur felt a hatred he had never felt before. "Thank you," his voice said. Arthur was shocked. They were controlling his voice. How was this possible? How could a couple of sentences have stripped Arthur of everything?

"Tell us what you know about your father," a voice said from behind him. His body spun around to see what was happening.

Arthur's body didn't say anything. "The spell doesn't work like that," Michael explained. "His mind is somewhere else. We can control his actions and we can put the words in his mouth, but he cannot help us more than that."

Arthur was relieved. The secrets of Camelot would be safe from them, well the ones that hadn’t already been divulged to the knights of Camelot. His body followed Michael as he began to walk. Arthur groaned as they stopped right outside a small grate. That grate led to the tunnel where Merlin and Morgana were making their escape.

"So how are we going to do it?" One of the new men asked.

"We have to be careful. It won't be easy now that he is ready for a magical attack," Michael said. "Not that it was ever going to be easy to kill Uther."

"At least now we have his precious son," the other man pointed out.

Arthur stopped listening. He felt like he was choking. They were plotting to kill his father. Arthur desperately wished to return to his body.

The harder he fought to return, the further he drifted. They were going to use him to kill his father and he would be powerless to stop it.

His body started moving and he knew that there was nothing he could do. He was a pawn for them to move as they pleased.

The moment the voices were gone, Merlin turned around and started going back towards Camelot. "Wait here," he told her.

"What are you doing?" Morgana asked him.

"We've got to stop him," Merlin told her quickly. "We can't let him kill Uther."

"Why not?" Morgana demanded. "Why does Uther deserve to live? He has killed thousands of good people."

"I agree that Uther is an awful human being, but that doesn't mean that he deserves to die. Besides, if Arthur kills him, he will never trust magic again. If you thought Uther was bad, imagine Arthur after he loses a father. He will have no one to fall back on. You and I will be long gone. He'll have nothing but his father's legacy," Merlin explained. Morgana still looked doubtful. "You are better than this Morgana," he chastised lightly. "If you condemn Uther to death, how are you any different from him?"

"You're right," she admitted softly. "I just hate the idea of us saving him. He doesn't deserve it."

"No, he doesn't. But Arthur does," Merlin told her.

Morgana nodded. "What are we going to do?" She asked.

"You are going to wait right here," Merlin told her. "I can't have you getting in the middle of this."

"I can't just wait here!" Morgana told him. "Besides, I am strong enough to help. You know as well as I do that the spell you need to use to free Arthur will work better with more than one person."

Merlin groaned. He would keep arguing, but he knew it would only prolong them. They may be too late as it is. "We must hurry."

They ran back through the tunnel, neither of them bothering to keep silent. They made it back in half the time it took them to go through it in the first place.

They burst out and ran towards the council chambers. They knew that when Arthur sought an audience with his father this is where it would happen. Two guards stood outside the door. As Merlin and Morgana approached it, they crossed their swords.

"No one is to enter. The king is in audience," they told him.

"They're trying to kill the king," Merlin frantically explained. The guards showed no sign of believing him. "I'm really sorry about this." Merlin magically made the knights slam into each other. They crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Merlin and Morgana pushed open the door and saw the chambers were in utter chaos. One guard was on the floor, a large pool of blood around him the only indication that he was dead. Arthur and Uther were fighting each other. There was the sound of clashing swords as the other knights in the room fought the men that were working with Michael.

"Arthur!" Merlin shouted.

Arthur faintly heard his voice. He wished his body would turn so he could see who was calling him. Instead his body kept up its attack. His father was hurt and badly. With one more push, Uther fell to the ground and did not rise. Arthur's body prepared to deliver the fatal blow.

"Arthur stop!" the same voice shouted. Arthur recognized it this time. It was Merlin's voice. What the hell was he doing here? He was supposed to be long gone. "Morgana, help me."

"Bafaeste aepelingas," Merlin chanted.

"Hailige," Morgana continued.

"Ic bebiede. No cwellan!" They chanted in unison.

"Gerihtlaec me!" Merlin yelled.

"Gerihtlaec me, geihtlaec me," Merlin and Morgana repeated.

Almost like he was falling, Arthur slammed back into his body.

"Michael! You have to kill him Arthur! Gerihtlaec me! This won't last forever. His hold on you won't be broken until he is dead," Merlin warned.

He rejoined Morgana and kept chanting the same thing over and over again.

Arthur made his way towards Michael. It wasn't easy. He could feel what Merlin meant about Michael's hold. He felt like an invisible hand was trying to grab him, but he couldn’t see where it was coming from, so he couldn’t defend himself. Every time it reached for him, it got a little closer.

Michael was fighting two knights right now, but was holding his own fairly well. Arthur doubted he would be able to keep it up once it was one on three.

Sure enough, once Arthur joined the fight it was a matter of minutes before Michael was weaponless.

"Please, have mercy on me," Michael begged.

Arthur shook his head. He felt like he was at war inside and he couldn’t even pretend to humor Michael. "I cannot," he told him. "You are guilty of using enchantments to possess the prince of Camelot and to try to kill the king. You are sentenced to be executed; a sentence that will be enforced… immediately." With that, Arthur plunged his sword down into Michael. As Michael gasped and took his last breath, Arthur felt like he had been doused with icy cold water.

Arthur took no pride in it. He had regarded Michael as a brother for years. His betrayal stung. The only thing that softened the blow of the betrayal was the relief that his father was alive.

He turned back to look at Merlin and Morgana. He could hear fighting still happening behind him. Michael had been but one piece of whatever was happening now; there was still a threat even with him gone.

He walked towards where Merlin and Morgana were standing. Merlin was crouched over Uther whispering something under his breath. Arthur felt a brief shiver of fear, a subconscious response that was the result of years of conditioning and teachings of the evil of magic. Deep in that subconscious, he feared that Merlin might be trying to kill his father.

He was able to push aside that fear relatively quickly. Merlin would not have risked his life to come back to Camelot to stop Arthur from killing his father just to kill Uther himself.

Once he was finished, he stood up. Uther's breathing returned to normal and there was more color in his face. "Will he be okay?" Arthur asked anxiously.

Merlin nodded. "Gaius will still need to patch him up and it may be a couple of weeks before his strength returns to him, but he will live," Merlin promised.

Arthur let out a sigh of relief. He studied Merlin and Morgana. They had every reason to hate his father, yet they had returned to save him. It went against everything he had been taught. He had been taught that the fear he felt right now was the only rational response to magic, yet Arthur knew it was unfounded. "Why did you do it?" Arthur asked, unable to contain himself.

"Do what?" Merlin asked.

"Return. You could have been safe. Instead you returned to danger." Arthur waited to hear what Merlin had to say.

"We heard you when we were still in the tunnel. I knew that if you killed your father, you would never forgive yourself. And… I may hate Uther, but not enough to kill him," Merlin explained.

"We had to stop you," Morgana said softly.

Arthur nodded. It was strange to him that they would return to risk their lives. They shouldn't have. It was the type of love and compassion that his father always insisted sorcerers lacked.

As his father stirred, Arthur turned to them. "You must go. Now. If he wakes to find you here, he will have you thrown right back into jail," he warned.

"But…" Merlin started to object.

"Go!" Arthur pushed Merlin slightly to get him to move. "You saved my life. I can never repay that debt, but I can do this. Leave now. Please." Merlin still hesitated. "I know now that I was wrong about you. Magic can be evil, but it can also be good. I saw both sides today and I was able to make the judgment about which was evil and which was protective. One day, when I am king, I will use that same judgment to free those that practice magic and ensure that this is a safe land for you to return to, but for now you must leave."

Merlin turned to leave, but Arthur stopped him. Merlin wondered if he’d already changed his mind. "Thank you, old friend," Arthur said, extending his arm to Merlin.

Merlin grabbed his arm in a sigh of friendship. "Goodbye," he said quickly before he turned and followed Morgana out of the council chambers.

They were able to leave Camelot without a problem. Merlin wasn't sure how, but they were not stopped.

They kept walking until they were deep into the woods. Merlin felt his heart breaking with every step they took. Camelot had been his home. He was leaving behind Gaius and Gwen and Arthur. He had worked so hard to build up a life there, but it was all for naught.

A comforting hand squeezed his shoulder. "It'll be okay. We'll be able to go back one day," Morgana promised him. "You heard Arthur. You managed to get through to him. I never believed it possible, but you changed him. One day, we will get to go home. And in the meantime, you will do what you need to do to protect him. That I’m sure of."

Morgana had no idea how correct she was. Over the next several years, they spent more time travelling back and forth from Camelot than they did in their own home. But Merlin had sworn he would protect Arthur and that is the only way they knew how.

Arthur often sought council with Merlin. Merlin had enchanted a water basin, so Arthur need only say his true name – Emrys, and Merlin would hear him.

It worked both ways. Merlin could communicate with Arthur that way. That was how, two months after they left, Merlin managed to ask Arthur if he would be the one to marry them.

Arthur didn't hesitate. After everything Merlin had done for him, he couldn't say no. Arthur went even further than just approving Merlin's request. When he snuck out of the castle that night, he brought Gaius and Gwen with him. Merlin and Morgana hadn't seen them since they had left.

It was a beautiful night, one that convinced Arthur even more that he was doing the right thing.

Three years after they married, Morgana got pregnant with their first child. Merlin spent much of his time by her side. He turned into more of an advisor for Arthur than anything else. He was still willing to come if Arthur needed him, but Arthur rarely asked that of him.

When Merlin gave Arthur news that Morgana was in labor, Arthur dropped what he was doing, grabbed Gaius, and rushed to their little home.

After hours of labor, Morgana gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. The moment he held her, Arthur knew. He wasn't sure anything more precious existed in this world. Looking over at Merlin and Morgana's euphoric faces, Arthur was sure they would agree with him. Holding their daughter, Arthur made a promise to himself, a promise stronger than the one he had made to Merlin. He made a promise to this little girl, the tiniest baby that he already felt the most intense urge to protect, that one day she would be able to live peacefully in Camelot with her parents and she would have the world at the fingertips. He vowed that one day, things would be different for her.

Arthur knew the day would come when he would be king. And when that day came, he knew he would keep his promise. He would create a land where Merlin and Morgana and their children and all the people like them would be free, not persecuted. Until that day came, Arthur would hold that promise close to him.


End file.
